Method and device for adjusting a vehicle reclining seat

ABSTRACT

A method and a device are provided for adjusting a vehicle reclining seat which can be moved together into a resting position, the backrest of a front passenger seat being able to be folded downward to the rear and forming a resting surface together with a backseat. Provision is made for the front passenger seat and the rear seat to be movable automatically into a resting position and back into the seating position.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The invention relates to a method and a device for adjusting avehicle resting seat which can be moved together into a restingposition, the backrest of the front passenger seat being able to befolded down rearward and forming a resting surface together with thebackseat of the rear seat.

[0002] A vehicle resting seat of the generic type is disclosed, forexample, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,954,298. In order to adjust the vehicleresting seat, the back of the front seat is inclined rearward andbrought into a position in front of the backseat. This backrest of thefront seat then forms a resting surface together with the two seatsurfaces of the front and of the rear seat, the backrest of the backseatcontinuing to remain upright as a backrest. The user can also sit downquite normally on the rear seat and place his legs on the backrest ofthe front seat. In order to adjust this reclining surface, a mechanicaldevice which enables the backrest of the front seat to be folded down isprovided.

[0003] A disadvantage of this type of vehicle seat is that theadjustment takes place mechanically. The folding over of the backrestrequires muscular power, or, at any rate, dexterity by the personwishing to use the reclining seat and also wishing to bring it back intoits original position. The adjustment is associated with an unpleasanteffort for the user, with the result that he will set and use thereclining seat position only in special situations.

[0004] The object of the invention is, therefore, to simplify a methodand a device for adjusting a vehicle seat in such a manner that thevehicle reclining seat can be easily adjusted without great effort.

[0005] According to the invention, the object is achieved by adjusting avehicle reclining seat which can be moved together into a restingposition, the backrest of the front passenger seat being able to befolded down rearward and forming a resting surface together with thebackseat of the rear seat, comprising automatically moving the frontpassenger seat and the rear seat into a resting position and back intothe seating position. Advantageous variants and developments of thesubject matter of the invention are characterized by the features of thesubclaims.

[0006] A substantial advantage of this method and of this device foradjusting a vehicle reclining seat is that a reclining seat for restingon can be provided in vehicles of normal size, it being possible for theseats to be easily brought by anybody into the resting position and alsoback again into the conventional seating position. The possibility ofproviding a reclining seat for an occupant to rest on conventionallyexists only in large, luxury vehicles. Owing to the fact that the seatsconventionally arranged in the vehicle are used, the reclining seat canbe fitted in vehicles in the top class segment. It is precisely in thissphere that the simple adjustment of a resting seat is desired, forexample in order to rest in the vehicle at a freeway rest station or, ingeneral, in order to insert a short break in a relatively long journey,in which the feet can be put up and a resting position assumed for aperiod. For this purpose, it is advantageous if the vehicle resting seatcan be brought without great effort into its resting position and alsoback into the normal seating position to continue the journey. Theresting seat may be used for occasionally overnighting in the vehicle. Aresting seat of this type is a selling point which a customer willprefer over a conventional vehicle when selecting a vehicle.

[0007] The invention will be explained in greater detail with referenceto an exemplary embodiment in conjunction with a description of thedrawing figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008]FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of the method sequence, and

[0009]FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration of a vehicle resting seat,and

[0010]FIG. 3 shows a schematic illustration of a control of aseat-adjusting device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011]FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a method sequence foradjusting a vehicle resting seat. The left-hand method sequence showshow the front passenger seat and the rear seat can be movedautomatically into a resting position, and the right-hand methodsequence shows how the front passenger seat and the rear seat can bemoved again back to the seating position. The method steps show theactivities which have to be carried out by the user in order for theautomatic function to carry out the desired maneuvers.

[0012] The resting position is set in the left-hand method sequence byat 10 first of all a “seat adjustment” changeover switch for the frontpassenger seat/rear seat being set to move to the resting position,then, at 20, the resting position button being operated, so that therear seat moves with adjustment of the backrest cushion and seat cushioninto the rear position, the front passenger seat moves into the restingposition until the front passenger backrest is at an angle ofapproximately 30° with respect to the plane, the front passenger headrestraint moves into the uppermost position, the sequence stops so that,at 30, the head restraint can be removed, at 40 the legs have to bepivoted to the rear center, at 50 the resting position button isoperated again, so that the front passenger seat and right rear seatmove completely into the resting position.

[0013] The seating position is reset in the left-hand method sequence byat 60 first of all a “seat adjustment” changeover switch for the frontpassenger seat/rear seat being set to leave the resting position, at 70the resting position button being operated, so that the conventionalseating position is moved to, in which at 80 the front passenger headrestraint can be fitted by the user, at 90 the resting position buttonis operated again, so that the originally set positions of the frontpassenger seat and rear seat are moved to.

[0014]FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration of a control for adjustingthe vehicle resting seat. In order to adjust the vehicle resting seat, amotorized drive 25 which drives a front-passenger-seat and rear-seatadjusting means 35 and which obtains the required adjustment signalsfrom a control unit 15 is provided. A front-passenger-seat and arear-seat adjusting device 35 is provided, the front-passenger-seatadjusting device only adjusting the front-passenger and the rear-seatadjusting device only adjusting the rear seat. In contrast, the controlunit 15 obtains signals from the operating elements 5 which are arrangedfor operation in the vehicle interior. These signals cause the controlunit 15 to activate the motorized drive 25 in accordance withcharacteristic curves stored in said control unit. This motorized drive25 moves the backrest cushion and seat cushion of the rear seat into therear position, in accordance with the left-hand method sequence in FIG.1, and moves the front passenger seat into the resting position bylowering the backrest.

[0015]FIG. 3 shows a schematic illustration of the setting of aseat-adjusting device. Operating elements (not shown here) such as the“seating position” changeover switch button for changing over thesetting from reclining position and seating position and the “recliningposition” button for activating the method sequences, according to FIG.1, are arranged in the vehicle interior. In order to adjust the vehicleresting seat, a motorized drive 25 is provided which drives afront-passenger-seat and a rear-seat adjusting device 35 and whichobtains the necessary adjustment signals from a control unit 15. Incontrast, the control unit 15 obtains signals from the operatingelements 5 which are arranged for operation in the vehicle interior.These signals cause the control unit 15 to activate the motorized drive25 in accordance with characteristic curves stored in said control unit.This motorized drive 25 moves the backrest cushion and seat cushion ofthe rear seat 3 into the rear position in order to set the restingposition. The front passenger seat 1 is moved into the resting positionby lowering the backrest 2. The occupant can now comfortably sit down onthe rear seat 3 and place his legs on the backrest 2 of the frontpassenger seat 1.

[0016] In the case of relatively small vehicles, the backrest of thefront seat may also come to lie on the seat cushion of the backseat. Theresting surface is then formed by the seat cushion and the backrest ofthe front seat. The backrest of the backseat is retained as a backrestin the resting position.

1. A method for adjusting a vehicle reclining seat which can be movedtogether into a resting position, the backrest of the front passengerseat being able to be folded down rearward and forming a resting surfacetogether with the backseat of the rear seat, comprising automaticallymoving the front passenger seat and the rear seat into a restingposition and back into the seating position.
 2. The method for adjustinga vehicle reclining seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein the activationof the resting position and the deactivation of the resting positionback into the seating position takes place under operation by theoccupant.
 3. The method for adjusting the vehicle reclining seat asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the resting position is set by a changeoverswitch button being set to move to the resting position, a restingposition button being operated, the rear seat moving a means ofadjusting the depths of the backrest cushion and seat cushion into therear position, the front passenger seat moving into the resting positionuntil a front passenger backrest is at an angle of approximately 30°with respect to the plane, the front passenger head restraint movinginto the uppermost position, the sequence stopping so that the headrestraint can be removed, legs having to be pivoted to the rear center,the resting position button being operated again, so that the frontpassenger seat and right rear seat move completely into the restingposition.
 4. The method for adjusting the vehicle reclining seat asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the seating position is reset by achangeover button being set to leave to the resting position, a restingposition button being operated, the conventional seating position beingmoved to, in which a front-passenger head restraint is fitted, theresting position button being operated again, so that the originally setpositions of the front passenger seat and rear seat are moved to.
 5. Adevice for carrying out the method as claimed in claim 1 with a frontpassenger seat and a rear seat which can be moved together into aresting position, the backrest of the front passenger seat being able tobe folded down rearward, wherein a front-passenger seat and a rear-seatadjusting device is provided which is driven by motor and brings thefront passenger seat and the rear seat automatically into the restingposition and back again into the seating position.
 6. The device asclaimed in claim 5, wherein an operating element for activating theresting and seating position is provided.
 7. The device as claimed inclaim 5, wherein an operating element for switching over theseat-adjusting means to move between the resting position is provided,so that the conventional sitting position can be set and the restingposition left, so that the resting position can be set.
 8. The device asclaimed in claim 5, wherein a control unit which obtains signals fromthe operating elements is provided, the control unit outputtingadjustment signals in accordance with characteristic curves stored inthe control unit to a motorized drive which drives the seat-adjustingdevice.
 9. A method according to claim 2, wherein the resting positionis set by a changeover switch button being set to move to the restingposition, a resting position button being operated, the rear seat movinga means of adjusting the depths of the backrest cushion and seat cushioninto the rear position, the front passenger seat moving into the restingposition until a front passenger backrest is at an angle ofapproximately 30° with respect to the plane, the front passenger headrestraint moving into the uppermost position, the sequence stopping sothat the head restraint can be removed, legs having to be pivoted to therear center, the resting position button being operated again, so thatthe front passenger seat and right rear seat move completely into theresting position.
 10. A method according to claim 2, wherein the seatingposition is reset by a changeover button being set to leave to theresting position, a resting position button being operated, theconventional seating position being moved to, in which a front-passengerhead restraint is fitted, the resting position button being operatedagain, so that the originally set positions of the front passenger seatand rear seat are moved to.
 11. The as claimed in claim 6, wherein anoperating element for switching over the seat-adjusting means to movebetween the resting position is provided, so that the conventionalsitting position can be set and the resting position left, so that theresting position can be set.
 12. The device as claimed in claim 6,wherein a control unit which obtains signals from the operating elementsis provided, the control unit outputting adjustment signals inaccordance with characteristic curves stored in the control unit to amotorized drive which drives the seat-adjusting device.
 13. The deviceas claimed in claim 7, wherein a control unit which obtains signals fromthe operating elements is provided, the control unit outputtingadjustment signals in accordance with characteristic curves stored inthe control unit to a motorized drive which drives the seat-adjustingdevice.
 14. A passenger vehicle seat arrangement comprising: a frontseat assembly including a front seat cushion section and front seat, abackrest section, a rear seat assembly including a rear seat cushionsection, and a rear seat backrest section, and a motorized assemblyoperable to move the front seat assembly and rear seat assembly betweena normal driving condition with an upright front seat backrest sectionand a resting position with a horizontally disposed front seat backrestsection serving as a foot rest in front of the rear seat cushionsection.
 15. A passenger vehicle seat arrangement according to claim 14,wherein said motorized assembly includes means for automatically movingthe front and rear seat assemblies between said normal driving conditionand resting position in response to manually operated switches.
 16. Apassenger vehicle seat arrangement according to claim 14, wherein saidmotorized assembly is operable to sequentially move the front seatbackrest section to a first lowered position accommodating manualremoval of a head restraint and then to a second lowered positionaligned with the rear seat cushion section.
 17. A passenger vehicle seatarrangement according to claim 15, wherein said motorized assembly isoperable to sequentially move the front seat backrest section to a firstlowered position accommodating manual removal of a head restraint andthen to a second lowered position aligned with the rear seat cushionsection.
 18. A passenger vehicle seat arrangement according to claim 14,wherein said motorized assembly is operable to move the rear seatassembly to a rearward rest position to accommodate movement of thefront seat assembly to the rest position.